Transformation – The UN’s ‘2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’

By Michael Rogers

Adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in September 2015, Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development works as a roadmap to achieving a sustainable future for all the world’s countries – both developed and developing.

The Agenda includes 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) to improve the lives of everyone on the planet, recognising that putting an end to poverty and hunger as well as improving health, education, equality must go hand in hand with economic growth.

More and more companies in the energy industry have been referring to the Agenda as they discuss their sustainability plans and policies, so be prepared to see the SDG icons on a regular basis.

Goal 16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.

Goal 17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development.

The UN recognised that these are all ambitious goals, and points to its vision for energy as a key to success: “A world where human habitats are safe, resilient and sustainable and where there is universal access to affordable, reliable and sustainable energy.”

When it comes to sustainable access to energy, two Goals – 7 “energy for all” and 13 – “combat climate change” – address not only energy availability, but its source and use.

Those of us who live in developed countries may find it difficult to believe, but out of the approximately 7.5 billion of us on the planet, nearly 1 billion of the population live without access to electricity. Even more troubling is that around 40% of the world’s population is without clean cooking fuels, which contributes to millions of deaths each year from “indoor pollution”.

What becomes apparent is that while Goals 7 and 13 directly address energy, many others – to end poverty, promote sustainable consumption and production, ensure sustainable economic growth, and so on – also have strong ties to energy supply and use.

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